WHAT: Two generations of stone masons have a personal tie to one of Galveston’s most photographed historic buildings – the Hutchings-Sealy Building, 2328 Strand. This week, fifth-generation stone mason Curtis Hunt IV will remove and patch deteriorated stones and stabilize cracks to this 1895 building designed by famed architect Nicholas J. Clayton. The Hutchings-Sealy Building is one of more than 20 buildings owned by George Mitchell and the Mitchell family. Mitchell bought the building in 1985 and Hunt’s father, Curtis Hunt III, worked with Ford, Powell & Carson Architects on the building’s restoration in the 1980s.

The younger Hunt has worked as a stone mason for 14 years, first working with his father as part of Curtis Hunt Restorations for 13 years and now operating his own company, Traditional Masonry Restoration and Repair. Over the years, he has worked on restoration projects at the Alamo and various missions in San Antonio as well as historic courthouses across Texas, including Goliad, DeWitt, Nueces County and Bexar County. Hunt’s grandfather, Curtis Hunt II, also has ties to Galveston and worked as a bricklayer with his extended family members early in his career on the Island.

WHERE: 2328 Strand, Galveston Island, Texas

WHEN: 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 8 – Thursday, June 10

WHY: These buildings are a critical part of Galveston’s history and contribute to the character of Galveston’s vibrant downtown.